Traditional signage or passive advertising is often quite easy to tune out or ignore. Consumers are bombarded with so much advertising material in any given day that it is impossible for them to pay attention to all of it. Traditional signage or passive advertising does not engage the consumer in a participatory fashion. For example, a consumer generally cannot walk up to signage or passive advertising and interact with it. Consumers cannot provide information or express interest with a traditional sign in exchange for a chance to win, or obtain a discount on, the product being advertised.
There is traditionally no way for advertisers to detect or track consumer interest or reactions to traditional signage or other forms of passive advertising, because consumers do not interact with such advertisements. Similarly, brokers of traditional advertising space or time cannot offer pricing based on an interest level similar to how online advertising can charge for impressions, clicks, or actual purchases completed.
There is a need in the art for advertising or signage systems effective for engaging consumers in a participatory fashion. There is a further need for advertisers to detect or track consumer interest or reactions to signage and similar advertising.